While this may be true, I don't see that as a valid argument for not legalizing pot. You may very well just be playing devil's advocate, I'm not sure. But either way "Bad people will do bad things that may be more bad than what they are doing now" doesn't seem like enough of a threat to justify keeping pot illegal.

I want to know what mariguanna is.


But, I'm for it.

For.

Lets get rid of drug dealers in our schools, and put the burden of distribution on stores and apothecaries.

If we legalize pot, we may be able to shift drug usage to pot as opposed to harder, worse substances like crack and meth, while working for more viable solutions on 'banning' the drugs through cultural change.

The issue is that cartels and criminal organizations produce illegal products because there is a lot of cash in them. If you take away the cash, they go elsewhere as you said. Problem is, if there's nowhere else to go, or the risk/reward is too high, they will dissolve or move into more legal arenas.

A close friend of mine was inolved in the mafia, and I had the chance to talk to him about the drug trade, rather openly I might add.

The common thread is that the mafia/mob/cartel will only do what they can make money off of, regardless of legalities. Looking back at the 1920's prohibition, we saw a much stronger mafia, because there was a large amount of money in restricted alcohol. Once prohibition ceased, the mafia had to go into other rackets. Many of them were not profitable, which caused the mob an ever-reducing role in the evils of organized crime. Street gangs are the same way: if you take away drugs, what will they move onto? Ventures that make them less money, and are more risky, which will hurt them. It's a simple law of supply and demand: Drugs are the most profitable, least risky investment right now. One KG of heroin goes for incredible amounts of money (AFAIK, $76/g). Take that away, and they will shrivel due to other vices being more difficult to procure profits in.

Do I want drugs? No. I hate them. But I do believe that having a freer society makes for a more responsible society, and a better one on the whole.

For..
Marijuana shouldn't be considered a drug when people are gettin drunk and killin people. I don't know of anyone getting high and killing someone. If anything, you're more alert while driving high

There are many factors which have reduced the visable role of the Mafia (and other criminal organizations) over time; including (but not limited to) reduced corruption in the police force and government in general, and an increase in the willingness and ability for the government to break up criminal organizations.

Once again, I'm not arguing for or against making drugs illegal, I'm just pointing out that the argument that legalizing pot will lower crime is not (necessarily) true because the criminals involved in the growing and selling of pot will just find another "easy" way to earn a lot of money.

For. It is actually safer than alcohol and tobacco, and less addicting. Plus we can tax the hell out of it, reduce crime, and reduce law enforcement expenses.

I'm waiting for Halogamer or Tyrranical to come drop an "against".

I am never quite sure how to feel about this one.

On the one hand I dont think its as bad as those who want it to be illegal paint it, but on the other hand I suspect we would discover a whole bunch of long term side effects if pot suddenly became as cheap as cigs (inhaling the fumes of any burning substance frequently will harm your lungs), which is to say its likely not "harmless" as claimed by many in favour of its legalization.

It's pretty established that marijuana has a nastier mix of chemicals in its smoke than tobacco does, but it's pretty rare to find people who chain-smoke marijuana. I would speculate that marijuana users smoke less because the drug is more potent. They don't need to use as much to get a satisfying high.